


Keep the Homefires Burning

by Ysabetwordsmith



Series: Love Is For Children [40]
Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Acts of Kindness, Age Play, Avengers Family, Beverages, Blankets, Candles, Comfort, Families of Choice, Family, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Fireplaces, Fluff, Food, Gen, Holidays, Hot Chocolate, Kindness, Marshmallows, Nesting, No Sex, Non-Sexual, Non-Sexual Age Play, Non-Sexual Intimacy, Shopping, Snow, Team as Family, Winter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-01
Updated: 2017-01-01
Packaged: 2018-09-13 22:17:17
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 972
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9144658
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ysabetwordsmith/pseuds/Ysabetwordsmith
Summary: Steve doesn't want to go out in the snow.  He doesn't have to.  So the Avengers snuggle up with jammies and blankets and hot chocolate and a cyberfireplace, while a personal shopper who actually likes going out on snowy days visits the stores for them.All my fluffy fluffness, let me show you it.





	

**Author's Note:**

> This is the freebie for the December 6, 2016 Poetry Fishbowl. It was inspired by prompts from DW user Librarygeek and LJ user Rix_scaedu. It belongs to the series Love Is For Children, where it takes place considerably later than previous entries.

The Avengers were supposed to go shopping today,  
but Steve looked out the window at the wet snow falling  
and said, "I _reeeaaally_ don't want to go out in that."

"We could stay home instead," Phil said.

"I hate to let everyone down ..." Steve said,  
hesitation heavy in his voice, but it was  
clear that he wanted to stay in.

"No problem," Tony said. "JARVIS, call  
the Personal Shopping Department and  
see who's on duty this morning."

"Miss Goldberg has just completed  
a trip for Ms. Potts," said JARVIS, and  
the large viewscreen switched on to show  
a young woman bundled in a fashionable coat.

"Hi, guys!" she said, waving. "I get to shop  
for the home team today? Woohoo, dream job  
is dreamy! Where are we going next?"

"Where are you now?" Tony asked.

"Fifth Avenue and 57th," she said,  
turning in place. Whatever camera  
JARVIS had on her panned along  
and caught the street sign.

"Oh, just turn around and go back  
the way you came," Tony said.  
"Some of us need new winterwear  
and some are looking for gifts."

"Sounds great," Miss Goldberg said,  
saluting them with a white chocolate mocha  
that steamed gently from a Starbucks cup.  
"I'll call back as soon as I'm in position."

The street view flicked off, replaced by  
a map of the neighborhood with a green star  
showing their personal shopper's location.

"That girl drinks way too much caffeine,"  
Bruce said, shaking his head, but  
he was smiling anyway.

"Well, Brucie-bear, why don't you  
make us something better," Tony said  
as he threw an arm around Bruce.

"I could go for cocoa," Steve said  
and Bucky added, "Yeah, with spices."

"I'll do it," Betty offered. "I know  
some good recipes for mulled cocoa."

Tony raised his hand. "Are you pondering  
what I'm pondering?" he said. "Because  
I really want my jammies right now."

"Everyone go change, and we'll  
reconvene here in a few minutes,"  
Phil said, shooing them away.

Quickly he went to his quarters  
to change clothes, and then  
returned to the common room.

"I wish we had a fireplace,"  
Bucky said wistfully.

"We have _all_ the fireplaces,"  
Tony said. "JARVIS, showcase."

The floor-level viewscreen underneath  
the mantelpiece lit up with tiles, split between  
_Live Feeds_ and _Popular Recordings_.

"That's nice, but it's not the same  
without the smell," Steve said.

"Yeah, I know, but we couldn't  
get LEED Platinum certification if we  
were killing trees and blowing carbon  
everywhere, so," Tony said. "JARVIS,  
pull up the incense menu."

The screen blanked and refreshed with  
_Natural Wood Incense_ and _Wood Chips._  
"Pick your pleasure, mix and match,  
whatever," Tony said. "JARVIS has  
has a smoker box attached to  
the air handling system."

"Oak or hickory, maybe?" Bucky said,  
and JARVIS flicked them to the top  
of their respective columns.

"I want something that smells  
like the holidays," Steve said.  
Fir balsam and piñon floated up.

"Could we do something fruity?"  
Bruce asked. "I don't want to risk  
upsetting the Other Guy with anything  
that smells like a forest fire. Or home.  
But he's okay with fruitwood smoke  
because we've only ever smelled that  
in a restaurant or a barbecue."

"Oh, now you've done it, I want  
barbecue for lunch," Clint said.

"Ordering from Hometown Bar-b-cue  
in Brooklyn," JARVIS replied.

"I like apple," Steve said as he  
pored over the wood chip menu.

"Our Moose Trek lodge in Colorado  
is currently burning hickory and apple  
in the main hearth," JARVIS said,  
displaying a sample video.

"We'll take it," Tony said.  
"JARVIS, light up the incense."

"Lighting," JARVIS said as the video  
went fullscreen and the audio added  
a gentle pop and crackle to the fireplace.

A minute later, the fans turned on  
and wafted sweet smoke into the room.

Steve and Bucky bailed off the couch  
as if with one mind, huddling onto the floor  
in front of the blazing viewscreen.

"It's _warm!"_ Bucky exclaimed,  
holding his hands out to the display.  
"How did you even _do_ that?"

"The tower is powered by arc reactor,  
with a variety of heat-emitting arrays and  
vents in the habitable areas," said JARVIS.  
"The hearth area is equipped both with  
radiant heat and vent options."

Uncle Phil looked at them squirming  
around on the carpet, sighed, and got up  
to fetch an armload of blankets so they  
could make a more comfortable nest.

Soon Aunt Betty came in with a tray full of  
two cocoa pots, a creamer, a stack of cups,  
and a bag of miniature rainbow marshmallows.  
"Okay, take your pick: Bruce's cardamom recipe  
is mild, but my Aztec hot chocolate has a kick."

Uncle Phil went right for the Aztec,  
which as promised had a bit of chile  
along with the cinnamon.

Steve poured himself half a cup of  
cardamom cocoa, added a quarter cup  
of heavy cream, and topped it with  
a whole handful of marshmallows.

Bucky chose the Aztec, took one sip,  
and winced. Then he poured in some cream,  
tried it again, and grinned. "This is good!"

"Thank you," Aunt Betty said.

"Miss Goldberg has reached  
the first store," JARVIS announced.  
"Shall I engage one-way video now?  
It is no trouble to guide her using  
the Bluetooth, as Ms. Potts does."

Uncle Phil looked at the floor  
full of giggling Avengers  
and said, "Engage."

The view showed Miss Goldberg  
entering the first store, alongside  
a display where busy ladies were  
handing out free pinecone candles.

Uncle Phil watched as some of  
the frazzled shoppers turned  
from frowns to smiles.

It never ceased to amaze him  
how one small act of kindness  
could change everything.

Uncle Phil tucked the blankets  
around Steve and Bucky, then said,  
"Good morning, Miss Goldberg. If you  
don't mind, I'll be directing the route  
using a floor map of the stores.  
You may begin on your left ..."

**Author's Note:**

> [Some stores employer personal shoppers](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Personal_shopper) for their customers. Other personal shoppers [work freelance and will go from store to store](https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/75238) for clients. Stark Industries has a Personal Shopper Department because most geeks don't care about fashion and Pepper wants them to look presentable. Also because she loves being pampered and this way she can shop and work at the same time. She uses the PSD like most people use desktop games.
> 
> [Fifth Avenue & 57th Street](http://www.frommers.com/destinations/new-york-city/663769) is the heart of Manhattan retail.
> 
> [White Chocolate Mocha](http://www.businessinsider.com/starbucks-high-calorie-menu-items-2013-6?op=1/#e-mocha-cookie-crumble-frappuccino-and-the-peppermint-hot-chocolate-both-have-have-590-calories-7) is among the highest-calorie offerings at Starbucks, which can also pack a lot of caffeine if you load it with extra espresso.
> 
> "[Are you pondering what I'm pondering](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-xrnIXQ3iQ)?" is a tagline from [Pinky and the Brain](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinky_and_the_Brain).
> 
> [Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leadership_in_Energy_and_Environmental_Design) certification comes in [several levels](http://www.concretethinker.com/solutions/LEED-Certification.aspx).
> 
> [Incienso de Santa Fe](http://www.inscents.com/faq) makes a selection of natural wood incense, but not fruit flavors. [H-E-B](https://www.heb.com/recipe/recipe-article/7-wood-chips-to-try/1392677044511) sells wood chips for smokers and grills, but you can throw them in your fireplace for fragrance.
> 
> [Hometown Bar-b-cue](https://www.timeout.com/newyork/restaurants/hometown-bar-b-que) in Brooklyn is one of [New York's best barbecue restaurants](https://www.timeout.com/newyork/restaurants/best-bbq).
> 
> Learn how to [make hot chocolate from scratch](http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/hot_chocolate/) like Steve does. [This recipe](http://gildedfork.com/cardamom-hot-chocolate/) includes cardamom, although personally I think I'd prefer using cardamom powder to pods. Betty's [Aztec hot chocolate](http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/marcela-valladolid/aztec-hot-chocolate-recipe.html) is more assertive. You can also buy a [similar version in mix format](http://www.lakechamplainchocolates.com/aztec-hot-chocolate.html). Mini rainbow marshmallows come [fresh](https://www.walmart.com/ip/Jet-Puffed-FunMallows-Marshmallows-10-oz/20531537) or [freeze-dried](http://www.firehousepantrystore.com/lcmarsh.html). Betty brought the fresh kind this time. Clint will eat the crunchy kind right out of the can.
> 
> [Pinecone candles](http://www.target.com/p/candle-paperchase/-/A-51264816) are popular during the holidays.

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Cover art for "Keep the Homefires Burning"](https://archiveofourown.org/works/14779244) by [Lehorin](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lehorin/pseuds/Lehorin)




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